Malakwa Learning Academy student Trinity Shaw was thrilled when she learned she had won an opportunity to be fire chief for a day.

All students had a chance to win, but it was Trinity who picked the winning number. She received a ride to school in the fire truck, a fire extinguisher, two smoke detectors, a real firefighter’s hat and T-shirt.

Students went through an extensive fire-safe training with Malakwa Fire Chief Joanne Held and firefighter Steven Simpson, and had to demonstrate proper ways of being safe in the kitchen, how to crawl below smoke, how to check their bedroom door for heat, how to escape their house and how to phone 911.

It’s important the fire department knows in advance the house number, street address and if everyone is out of the house. Cell phones do not provide 911 operators with an address, so the kids practised sharing their address and did up a escape plan, which they demonstrated for the fire chief at the end of the week. The fire chief stressed the importance of having smoke detectors, escape ladders for second-story houses and not to go back into a burning house.

All of the children did a awesome job of everything.

The Malakwa Volunteer Fire Department will be shooting off fireworks on Halloween night and serving hot chocolate and hot dogs for $2, starting at 7 p.m., with fireworks going off at 8. All are welcome to attend.

– Contributed by Malakwa Fire Chief Joanne Held.

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